Working with a Table

A database is made up of groups of fields organized into tables. A field is a specific category of information, such as a name or a product. Related fields are grouped in tables. You usually enter data into fields one entity at a time (one customer at a time, one product at a time, and so on). Access stores all the data for a single entity in a record. You can view a table in Datasheet or Design view. Design view allows you to work with your table's fields. Datasheet view shows a grid of fields and records. The fields appear as columns and the records as rows. The first field in a table is often an AutoNumber field, which Access uses to assign a unique number to each record. You can't select or change this value.

Enter a New Record and Move Around in a Table

In the Database window, click Tables on the Objects bar, and then double-click the table.

Click the New Record button.

Press Tab to accept the AutoNumber entry.

Enter the data. If you make a typing mistake, press Backspace.

Press Tab to move to the next field or Shift+Tab to move to the previous field.

Delete a Record from a Table

In the Database window, click Tables on the Objects bar, and then double-click the table.

Right-click the row selector.

Click Delete Record.

Click Yes.